Purdue Basketball: What AJ Hammons' return means for Boilers

Jay Simpson puts his arm around teammate A.J. Hammons moments after Purdue's 65-64 victory over Penn State Saturday, January 18, 2014, in Mackey Arena on the campus of Purdue University. Hammons hit the first of two free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining to seal the Purdue victory.(Photo: John Terhune/Journal & Courier John Terhune/Journal & Courier)Buy Photo

Based on what we know about that feedback, and the good and bad we've seen from Hammons' game over the past two seasons, I believe the 7-foot sophomore made the correct decision. Give him credit — it must be tempting to take the NBA gamble, even if your chances are remote at the moment and there are compelling reasons to wait.

So what does this mean for Hammons and Purdue going forward?

FOR HAMMONS

When talking to coaches, scouts and Big Ten Conference observers in recent weeks, no one questioned Hammons' talent. Perhaps more accurately, all agreed he has shown flashes — on both ends of the floor — of the skills necessary to play at the next level. (Yes, he needs to handle post feeds more cleanly and finish them with more consistency. Yes he must better adjust to defending on the perimeter. The operative word in the sentence above was "flashes.")

Coming back for another year gives Hammons a chance to refine those skills. He must cut down the team-high turnover total that limited his impact on offense. At times he was an offensive force, and at times he was an offensive liability, and too often his defender had nothing to do with that. With another year of tutelage perhaps he can take his already-prodigious shot-blocking ability and become a more intimidating presence under the basket. In all facets, another year of college basketball can help Hammons become a more consistently solid player.

But in terms of his future draft stock, another year at the college level was critical for Hammons to answer the biggest doubt many have about his game. He wasn't going to be able to show the drive or heart that teams wanted to see in a 60-minute workout scenario. He needs to display those qualities for 30-plus minutes a night for 30-plus games over an entire season. Assuming Hammons continues to make good decisions, another year in college should also benefit his maturity.

For Hammons, his NBA future was always more of an abstract concept. Now, he has plenty of legitimate, specific feedback on what he must show to be considered a first-round talent. Will he take that constructive criticism as motivation to find another level inside himself?

FOR PURDUE

If Hammons had left, Purdue would have been quite thin on the front line next season. Incoming freshman Isaac Hass is a skilled 7-foot-2, but other than 6-foot-8 power forward Jacquil Taylor, the Boilermakers would have had no other big men on scholarship.

Purdue coach Matt Painter said on Wednesday that there weren't many options on the fifth-year senior market.

"It does complicate some things, but where are you going to go, who are you going to get," Painter said of Hammons' then-uncertain future. "Anyone 6-9 with a pulse, the world attacks them. Now in the spring when guys are available — whether they're fifth years or transfers or guys who a coach leaves and they get out of their letter of intent — every single college coach in America is trying to get involved."

Now, Purdue has a 1-2 combo at center like the one it enjoyed with Hammons and Jay Simpson before the discovery of the latter's career-ending heart condition. Taylor can provide further post depth or possibly redshirt. Basil Smotherman and Rapheal Davis have experience at the 4, and a quicker, smaller, 1-in 4-out lineup could be a great fit for the Boilermakers.

Painter spoke often last season that both ends of the post feed relationship can be tricky. Instead of breaking in a lone freshman, the Boilermakers will have in Hammons a player who has already drilled on the importance of wrestling his way to an open look and showing a big target.

If Hammons takes things up a notch as a post scorer, that means more double teams. More double teams in the paint can be a bonanza for players like rising sophomore Kendall Stephens and incoming freshman Dakota Mathias.

A player with Hammons' shot-blocking ability takes somepressure off the rest of the defense (though perimeter defense will likely still be a big question mark for this team in October). He needs to better match up with elite players like Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky to give Purdue a chance to start winning the games it hasn't the past two seasons.

In the end, Hammons passed on one opportunity for another: the chance to improve his stock and help Purdue become a winning team again. Just like if he had chosen to pursue the NBA, there are no guarantees.